Protest in Church by Black Activists Divides Catholics in Brazil

Crux ^ | 2/10/22 | Eduardo Campos Lima

[marshmallow]

SÃO PAULO – A protest of Black activists against the killing of a Congolese refugee in Brazil ended up with a church being occupied by a number of protestors at the end of Mass.

On February 5, Black organizations organized demonstrations in several Brazilian cities protesting the killing of Moïse Kabagambe, a Congolese refugee who was beaten to death at a Rio de Janeiro beach kiosk on January 24 after demanding delayed payments from his manager.

Kabagambe’s homicide was seen by many in the South American country as a consequence of systemic racism.

A few days later, on February 2, another killing further outraged many Brazilians. Durval Teófilo Filho, a Black worker, was shot dead by a neighbor as he approached the entrance of their apartment complex. Aurélio Alves Bezerra, a Navy sergeant, allegedly shot at Teófilo because he thought he was a thief. As he realized the man was unarmed and was his neighbor, he took him to the hospital, but he later died.

The victim’s wife, as well as many activists, said he was killed because he was Black.

During the Feb. 5 demonstrations, protestors honored Kabagambe and Teófilo and demanded the end of racism in Brail, especially violence against Black people.

In Curitiba, Paraná State, a group of Black activists gathered in front of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men of Saint Benedict. The church was built in the 1940s at the same area of a previous church, an 18th century building constructed by slaves.

Led by city council member and Black activist Renato Freitas, the activists carried banners against racism and called for justice in Kabagambe’s case.

[Bikkuri]

"end of racism in Brail"

That's a start...